Tony Meade
Active Member
SESSION 246
Bill could take a bit more:
Bill could take a bit more:
- Sam seems to be projecting his apparent willingness to bear all the burdens onto Bill the Pony.
- Frodo has had to make sure that Sam didn’t take too much on himself way back in the Shire.
- Sam seems to be identifying with Bill in a way that assumes he has the same good intentions.
- The extra inclusions of Sam’s talk should be attributed to Frodo, as he has imagined that future audiences might want more of that, and there is a focus on Sam’s point of view for Frodo.
- Likewise, the line about Bill looking at Sam mournfully might be attributed to Frodo, too, which confirms Sam’s earlier line about Bill nearly being able to talk.
- Also, since Sam is almost always the least knowledgeable character in a given scene, a lot of the point of view burden is placed on him, like the hobbits in general, for the same reasons.
- Whether the pony can actually understand Sam is less important than that Sam believes it.
- It is implied that Bill is engaged in hobbitry with Sam and has a sense of humor in line with him.
- It is likely that the majority of the first two chapters and part of the third can be attributed to Bilbo writing in Rivendell, after hearing of Frodo and the others tell of their adventures.
- Therefore, the thinking fox is probably Bilbo’s, put in for comic effect in the style of The Hobbit.
- Any of the humor, especially that which is familiar, is least likely to have been added by Findegil, though much of the post-story processing can be attributed to Merry and Pippin, among others.
- Therefore, if Frodo added in this observation, there is an air of teasing Sam as making him laugh.
- Frodo usually doesn’t use hobbitry toward Sam, as that is reserved for peers and betters, but after the fact, and treating him much more like an equal, seems within the character of Frodo.
- By the time the book is written, Frodo has either witnessed or foreseen Sam’s rise in status.
- While Boromir’s advice about the fire seems to be unwelcome by Gandalf, who wants to maintain their secrecy at all costs, especially based on the flocks of birds searching for them.
- This echoes Sam’s observation on Weathertop about a campfire giving away their position.
- Also, Boromir’s advice seems to be obvious both in its conditions and actions, as everyone there would know that the weather would surely be cold in the mountains and what to do about it.
- However, if Boromir doesn’t speak up, it is likely that the life-saving fire would not be possible.
- Boromir displays his usual diplomatic courtesy here, though he shows an edge over the secrecy.
- He doesn’t assert his usual position of leadership, but rather his prior experience in his home.
- Boromir doesn’t claim any greater expertise than those like Gandalf and Aragorn, just his own.
- It’s possible that not being in command is an unusual experience for Boromir, as he has been second only to his father in Gondor since childhood and has been a commander for many years.
- Note: While Boromir is ultimately proved right and the fire does save their lives in the Redhorn Pass, it is unlikely that Aragorn would have not also suggested this, though Gandalf seems to value their secrecy over their safety, and the narrator draws attention to Boromir’s advice. In the future, Boromir will distinguish himself as a great warrior, but this points to his other virtues. The hobbits, as narrators, would be highly motivated to show this side of Boromir in gratitude.
- Gandalf does not dismiss the idea of fire but wants them all to brace themselves for the cold.